61+ ‘Instinct’ Writing Prompts
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Terrifying Evolution
Imagine a world where the zombie virus has evolved to the point where zombies can think, feel, plan and co-operate.
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Heart of Humanity
Explore the moral dilemmas and choices individuals have to make as society falls into chaos.
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Journey into the Frozen Unknown
Write a story about a perilous expedition into the uncharted Arctic wilderness.
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Surviving the Blizzard
Engage in a creative writing exercise imagining getting stuck in a winter storm while trekking and how you survive.
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The White Whale’s Revenge
Write a personal journal for Moby Dick in Herman Melville’s novel, describing his encounters with Captain Ahab.
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Overprotective Parent
Write about a villain who transforms into a beast to protect their offspring from the world he believes is too harsh.
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The farewell Chirp
Imagine saying goodbye to your bird friend who is migrating for the winter. What would you tell them?
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Embracing Spontaneity
Write about a time as a child when you acted on instinct and it resulted in a memorable or impactful event.
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Tales of the Sea Turtle
Narrate the life journey of a sea turtle, from its birth on a beach to its adventures in the ocean.
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The Lost Hunter
Create a narrative about a zombie exterminator who loses their memory but retains their hunting instincts.
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School in Apocalypse
Describe how education, learning, and school might be transformed in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by zombies.
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Survival Instincts
Write from the perspective of an animal trying to survive an unusually harsh winter.
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Impending Deadline
Write a story, in less than 200 words, about a character who must make a life-altering decision in just 10 seconds.
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Pilgrims’ Perseverance
Write a story from the perspective of one of the Pilgrims during their first year in the New World.
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The Emergence of a New Species
Imagine humanity evolving and adapting to the aftermath of an apocalypse.
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Underwater Hellscape
A deep-sea exploration team becomes trapped at the bottom of the Mariana Trench, with communication and escape routes disabled.
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Isolated Afterameath
Write about a character who finds themselves as the sole survivor after a global catastrophe.
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The Grimm Cinderella
What if Cinderella wasn’t escaping her stepmother, but a deranged serial killer?
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The Last Human
Write a scary story set in the far future where one last remaining human being tries to survive in a world run by robots.
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Rescue Mission In the Asteroids
Your spaceship received a distress call from an unknown entity located amidst a deadly asteroid belt. Describe your perilous journey and the secrets you unfold.
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Uninhabitable Homeworld
Imagine Earth has become uninhabitable and humanity has to select and explore a potentially livable planet.
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The Pantser versus the Planner
Explore the pros and cons of spontaneous writing versus planned writing.
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The Busker’s Ballad
An amateur musician on the street corners stirs up an old scandal with his latest composition.
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Alien Territory
You are an astronaut stranded on an alien planet after a crash landing. Describe your struggle for survival in this unknown world while you wait for a rescue mission.
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“Blood Banks”
Write a story about how society has incorporated blood banks to feed vampires in a safe and humane way.
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October Rebellion
Write a narrative around the Cuban Missile Crisis, beginning on October 16th, 1962.
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Survival of the Strongest
Write about life five years into the zombie apocalypse, where physical strength matters less and mental acuity reigns supreme.
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The Last Daylight
Write about the world just as it enters an endless night, which provokes the rise of Vampire Apocalypse.
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Concrete Jungle Survival
Craft a survivalist adventure of a person isolated in an abandoned part of a bustling city.
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Pandemic Shadows
Write a storyline taking place during the Spanish Flu, where a vampire sees the pandemic as an opportunity to feed without suspicion.
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Bodyguard Betrayal
Create an account of an experienced bodyguard who is framed for the murder of their high-profile client.
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Eternity’s First Sorrow
Compose a narrative about the first person your vampire character had to turn into a vampire.
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Fight or Flight
Craft a story where your main character’s deepest fear is the key to their survival.
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The Forgotten Shelter
Post nuclear apocalypse, a group of survivors in an underground shelter must face the inevitable fact that food and water supplies are running out.
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Gravity’s Game
Conjure the story of an astronaut stranded on a massive exoplanic moon. Exploration becomes marred when extreme gravitational forces inhibit the astronaut’s ability to leave.
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Shipwrecked
Write about a group of friends who get shipwrecked on an isolated island due to a storm.
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The Shapeshifter’s Curse
Describe a creature cursed with the ability to take on the form of anything it kills.
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“Footsteps in the Foggy Night”
Write a short story about a character who starts hearing unexplained footsteps in the foggy nights.
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Driven by Desperation
Your villain’s motivation arises from a desperate attempt to survive or protect a loved one.
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An Abandoned Vessel
Write a story about a group of adventurers who comes across an abandoned ship in the middle of the ocean with no sign of passengers.
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Marooned on a Container Vessel
Imagine you’re the last person left on a massive container ship in the middle of the Pacific. How do you survive?
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Stormy Seas and Safe Harbors
Tell a story about a challenging situation on a tugboat that ended with relief or safety.
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Transplanting Key Instincts
If you could gain one instinctive ability from an animal, what would it be and why?
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Isolationist Oasis
Envision a dystopian society that has cut itself entirely from the rest of the world. What are the consequences?
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Maze of Darkness
Frame a story where the protagonist is trapped in a pitch-black maze, out to confront their fear of darkness and claustrophobia.
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Uneasy Alliance
Write about two mortal enemies who are forced to work together to survive a greater threat.
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‘The Faceless Stalker’
Imagine your main character is being watched and followed by a faceless, unknown entity.
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End of Civilization
In a post-apocalyptic world where cities are desserted and resources scarce, narrate your journey of survival as one of the few remaining humans.
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Untamed Creativity
Create a story based solely on instinct, without bothering about a structured plot.
